Microsoft unveiled updates to the Xbox Companion and Zune music service at E3 this week, transforming them into Xbox SmartGlass and Xbox Music, respectively. Both apps are very similar to their predecessors, but have been updated with even better functionality.

Xbox SmartGlass allows you to turn your smartphone or tablet into a second screen, perfect for gaming, music, video, and much more. The app will support all of the major platforms--Windows 8, Windows Phone, Android, and iOS--and it has a wide variety of applications, from looking up information to controlling the Xbox 360’s new web browser and seeing game information in real-time.

Xbox Music, meanwhile, is the next generation of Microsoft’s Zune service. By leveraging the power of the Xbox brand, Microsoft has managed to grow its music library to 30 million songs, tripling what is currently available on the Zune Music Marketplace. But fear not, Zune fans; deep down, Xbox Music is still the Zune service you’ve always loved. It just has a new name and a few new features.

With Windows 8, Windows Phone 8, the next Xbox dashboard, SmartGlass, and Xbox Music set for release this fall, the future of Microsoft has never been more exciting. What do you think about these announcements?